Director, Planning (L.O.L. Surprise!)
MGA Entertainment is one of the largest privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world, known for its commitment to creativity, quality, and innovation. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices globally, the company creates innovative, proprietary, and licensed consumer products and entertainment properties, including toys, games, dolls, apparel, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery, sporting goods, movies, and television series. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!™, Little Tikes®, Rainbow High™, Bratz®, MGA’s Miniverse™, Yummiland™, CarTuned™, GrossMos!™, Pixel Petz™, Micro Games of America, Fluffie Stuffiez™, BABY born®,and Zapf Creation®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgae.com or check us out at LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Position Overview:
The Director of Planning for L.O.L. Surprise! will be responsible for developing and implementing the long-term strategy for one of MGA’s flagship brands. This role involves managing the brand's product line, ensuring alignment with market trends, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and driving the overall vision of the brand. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in brand management, strategic planning, and toy industry insights.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning and Brand Development
• Develop and execute the multi-year strategic roadmap for L.O.L. Surprise!
• Oversee product lifecycle management, including innovation pipeline, SKU optimization, and phase-outs.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends and opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Brand Activation team to ensure strategies are executed effectively.
Product and Line Management
• Partner with product development teams to guide the creation of innovative toys that resonate with the target audience.
• Manage the global product portfolio, ensuring the right product mix across categories, price points, and retail channels.
• Work with the licensing team to identify and integrate licensing opportunities.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Align with the Sales and Retail teams to ensure product sell-in strategies meet retailer expectations.
• Collaborate with Operations and Inventory teams to optimize supply chain and inventory levels.
• Coordinate with the Media, PR, and Creative teams to ensure marketing efforts support overall planning goals.
Budget and Forecasting
• Oversee annual budgeting and forecasting for the brand, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
• Track performance metrics to adjust strategies and achieve profitability goals.
Qualifications:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (MBA preferred).
• Experience:
8+ years of experience in brand management or strategic planning, preferably in the toy or consumer goods industry.
Proven track record of managing large, global brands.
Experience with product development processes and global market strategies.
• Skills:
Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
Excellent project management and leadership skills.
Exceptional communication and collaboration abilities.
Proficiency in market research tools and data analysis platforms.
Salary:
$150,000.00 – $200,000.00 /year